Increasingly, people are utilizing handheld electronic devices to perform a variety of computing and communications functions, including sending and retrieving e-mail, Web browsing, and data-sharing applications over the Internet, intranet and/or corporate networks. Many handheld electronic devices are small enough to be held by one hand and typically include such features as handwriting recognition, pop-up keypads and number pads, communication software for Internet access, and the ability to hook up to a docking station to exchange information therewith.
The term “handheld electronic device” as used herein includes, but is not limited to, personal digital assistants (PDAs), radiotelephones, web-enabled radiotelephones, and other mobile/wireless devices. Exemplary handheld electronic devices are available from Handspring, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.; Palm, Inc., Santa Clara, Calif.; Compaq Computer Corporation, Houston, Tex.; Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, Calif.; IBM, Armonk, N.Y.; HandEra, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa; Psion PLC, London, UK; Nokia Corporation, Keilalahdentie, Finland; Ericsson, Inc., New York, N.Y.; and Motorola, Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.
To transfer data between handheld electronic devices and other devices, such as desktop computers, central computers and/or computer networks, docking stations may be utilized. Typically a docking station is designed for use with a specific handheld electronic device model, and includes a cradle within which the handheld electronic device is positioned. Typically, data is transferred between another device and the handheld electronic device via an infrared (IR) communication port in the docking station cradle and an IR communication port in the handheld electronic device.
The IR communication ports in the docking station and handheld electronic device typically require line-of-sight alignment, as well as close proximity to each other. Because of these strict alignment requirements, other handheld electronic devices having IR communication ports in different locations may not be capable of transferring data via the docking station cradle. For example, a Handspring® handheld electronic device may not be able to transfer data via a docking station designed for a Palm® handheld electronic device.
Various efforts have been made in the field of infrared communications between electronic devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,864,708 to Croft et al. describes a docking station for a portable computer, wherein communications between the portable computer and docking station may be established as long as an infrared communication port on the back panel of the portable computer is lined up somewhere within the window of the docking station. U.S. Pat. No. 5,900,958 to Nakamura describes a communication apparatus that is capable of receiving IR signals without regard to orientation. An IR signal incident to the apparatus is transmitted through an IR signal inlet implemented by a one-way mirror. Subsequently, the IR signal is sequentially reflected by reflectors and the IR signal inlet to reach an IR signal receiving portion.
Unfortunately, these methods of data transfer may not allow a single docking station to facilitate data transfer with various handheld electronic devices having infrared communications ports in widely differing locations from one another.